Like Sumner’s trail network, the city’s sidewalk system still has some missing parts.
But city officials continue to work toward connecting the pieces with a number of programs and funding options.
“Sumner’s tied together by sidewalks,” said Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow. “We’re filling in the gaps.”
The success of last year’s voluntary matching program — in which the city splits the construction cost of sidewalks with residents — prompted officials to budget approximately $80,000 for this year, said City Engineer Mike Dahlem. Last year, officials budgeted the same amount and used $65,321.
“It went really well,” he said. “It will keep going.”
Residents who are eligible, or those with curbs and gutters in place, receive a letter in the spring alerting them of the program, Dahlem said. At that point they can choose to sign up, committing to pay half the cost for sidewalks placed alongside their property. It’s a first-come, first-served program.
Seven people signed up this year, as compared to 26 in 2007, he said. There are fewer this year because there are fewer eligible residents. Last year, 99 residents received letters, compared to this year’s 63. Of the $80,000 budgeted this time, $20,000 was used.
An incentive put in place for the sidewalk program requires homeowners who are eligible for the program to have sidewalks before they can apply for building permits that would add “habitable space” to their property, Dahlem said.
Other programs that provide funds for sidewalks include the Safe Routes to Schools program, which utilizes a grant for sidewalk funding for streets near Maple Lawn Elementary and Sumner Middle School.
Another program makes use of Community Development Block Grant funds that can be used to pay for sidewalks in low-income neighborhoods. The Cyrus Woods neighborhood north of Sumner High School will soon see new sidewalks through the CDBG program.
The voluntary matching program may eventually expand to residents without curbs and gutters in the future, but for now, it’s easier to determine sidewalk placement in areas with curbs and gutters.
Another option for the future is a sidewalk replacement program. At the moment though, officials feel the voluntary program is going well.
“As long as the program keeps working, we’ll probably try to keep offering it,” Dahlem said.
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